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I have recently started wearing contact lenses again, if only on an occasional basis. I used to wear them regularly, but find that this is impractical and it's a lot easier just to wear my glasses. Revisiting the range of contacts, I thought I'd go for a range I hadn't previously tried, and these seemed to be better suited for me.

I have an astigmatism, which means my eyes aren't completely round. This means that wearing glasses can provide 100% correction, but putting contact lenses in usually doesn't. However, with these lenses, there is some sort of design method which means that the astigmatism is corrected along with the sight. Contact lenses are complicated creatures, but they are essentially glasses that sit right on your eyes as opposed to on the bridge of your nose; beyond that I don't really need to know much more.

In all honesty though, there's not really anything different between these dailies and other brands I've tried before. The packaging is the same - thin box with strips of lenses in individual containers joined together in lines. You have to separate each one off, and then when you're ready to put them in you peel back the foil lined plastic seal to reveal the lens sitting in some contact lens solution. The solution is standard, and the lens is ready to put in. A pack lasts for a month.

You get 30 individually packed lenses in a box, and two boxes (one for each eye). Depending on where you get them from, a month's supply is likely to cost you just shy of £30 or so - it's essentially roughly £1 per day to have these. Obviously, if like me you don't wear them every day, only once or twice a week, then a month's supply will last substantially longer - the expiry date on these is usually miles away.

They feel pretty good when you put them in, and they do slot in very well to adjust the astigmatism. I wouldn't say they do it perfectly, and my optician has said that lenses rarely replicate the improvements a pair of glasses will do, but they do feel comfortable. It may well be that the astigmatism adjustment element is as a result of thinking it will happen; maybe it actually does happen. It's just not all the time.

The packaging is okay, pretty standard. The one thing that isn't always done though is in marking which is for your left eye and which is for your right. Usually, your eyes will require different prescriptions, and the further these are apart then the more you will notice if you've put them in the wrong eye. My optician will check my prescription when I collect the lenses, and mark the boxes in front of me to make sure they've got them right and that I'm reassured of this; if you get these sent straight to you then this is obviously not possible and you'd need to make sure you know exactly what your prescription is for your eyes and mark the boxes yourself.

They're daily disposables, so you're not supposed to use these for more than one day at a time. Obviously you could do, but they're thinner because they're dailies and this means that they're not stable for more than one day. I have worn dailies for two days before when I've found myself without a new pair but have needed to wear them, but this is not advised at all.

So, these are decent lenses. There's nothing particularly special about them from my perspective, but they are solid and reliable and may correct your astigmatism. Affordable and running in at the same price, packaging etc as other brands, these are worth giving a go.

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a good disposable lens for the ruby eyed amongst us

This is a review of Johnson's Ciba Toric Dailies Contact Lenses. I have been a wearer of this particular brand of lenses for approximately two years. I use Tesco Optician (Risca, South Wales branch) who prescribe these lenses. I also purchase via Tesco Optician online. This is a review of the lenses only although I may also refer to experiences I have had of the Tesco delivery service throughout the review.

*My prescription*

I have been an on/off wearer of contact lenses for several years and have worn glasses for approximately 15 years (since I was in Comprehensive school). I have an astigmatism and am short sighted with similar prescription in both eyes (right -2.50 and -1.50 x90) - (left -2/00 and -1.50 x90). I don't wear glasses/contact lenses all the time but as the years have gone on and my prescription has worsened slightly I do wear them more and especially wear them when driving, on the computer, watching tv etc.

*Why Tesco's?*

I used to use vision express but I switched to Tesco Optician as they are opener longer hours, you can do your shopping at the same time and of course you get those clubcard points! Also after a bit of research online I found that the particular type of lenses I needed came up as cheapest via Tesco's.

A 3 month supply of these lenses or 90 pairs is £84.00 - which works out at £28 per month. I only ever buy 3 months supply at a time as to be honest that's all my budget will allow. The maximum batch they sell in is 12 months and as a 12 month supply sets you back at £336.00 (also £28 per month) it doesn't pay to buy in big bulk!

I think the fact you get 30 pair s a month is very generous as my optician has recommended I do not wear contacts every day and stick with 4/5 days a week maximum in order to give my eyes a break. Initially I have to admit I didn't heed by his advice and did wear them every day but now I am much more sensible and stick to the 4/5 days - this means that my '1 month' supply however lasts longer so a 3 month supply actually ends up lasting me more like 4 months.

In terms of price then I am satisfied as I have seen these much more expensive elsewhere. It does appear to me that toric lenses do seem more expensive than their non-toric counterparts though!

*How do the lenses work?*

I have absolutely no idea how these lenses work and won't even try to explain as this is a consumer review however I am aware that when I first started wearing glasses and was told I had astigmatism (or as my optician explained to me ' rugby shaped eyes') I was also told that the option of contact lenses wasn't available to me. It wasn't until years later that I found the option was there through these specially adapted contacts.

The way my optician explained them to me is that they have two functions - firstly they temporarily correct the astigmatism and secondly they then correct the sight issue which in my case is short sightedness but for others may be long sightedness.

*Packaging - just rip them up!*

The lenses come in a cardboard box. The lenses for my right eye come in a separate box to my left eye which is great but they do not specify which box is for which eye so at this point you have to check your prescription. On opening the box there are layers of lenses which are all in a strip so you have to break them up by ripping the plastic. Usually the first thing I do is separate all the lenses in one go as otherwise this can be a tedious thing to do everyday. The separation is very easy and never have I accidentally opened a lens in doing this as these is a small perforation on the side of each lens.

The lenses are now in small plastic trays with a strong plastic label on top. On the top of each label you have your prescription so you absolutely cannot get it wrong! You simply rip the label off and inside there is a shallow disc of solution with your lens in there!

*Putting them in*

Obviously I appreciate that lenses are not for everyone and if you have a phobia or are uncomfortable about the prospect of touching your eyes then these are not recommended. I had a full tuition and check up after I purchased the lenses where a technician went through health and safe care.

Obviously washing your hands is very important to reduce the risk of infection. Also drying the hands is important as it is very difficult to put lenses in with wet hands! Having a good mirror and good light is also important as when you take the lens out of the tray you need to see where the faint blue ok mark is on the lens so you know you are putting the lens in the right way. The technician told me that with ordinary lenses it is ok if they move around the eyeball a bit but with toric lenses it is important they stay aligned as otherwise they won't be so effective.

As the lenses come in solution they can be a bit slippy so you may need to shake off a bit of solution to make sure they go in nicely, without 'slipping out'.

After a few days practice I had this down to a tee and find that actually putting the lenses in only takes around a minute maximum. Not as quick as popping a pair of glasses on but still I can spare a minute in my morning routine!

*What if things go wrong*

In the 2 years I have worn these lenses I have had them break on me twice when they were actually in my eye. Stupidly I have never reported this so I cannot say what customer care is like however I have found the rest of the batch to be fine and cannot be sure that the lenses weren't damaged by myself prior to putting in my eye (although I don't have [particularly long nails so can't see how they would have been broken). In any case it is a very uncomfortable experience when they break, although on both occasions I found it was very quick and easy to get the broken lens out (although did leave me temporarily with a very sore eye afterwards).

Although I was initially worried too about lenses getting lost in my eye my optician has reassured me that due to the way the eye is attached there is absolutely no way these lenses would get lost behind the eye!

In terms of infections - even with the broken lenses I have had no issues. These lenses seem very thin (yet durable and easy to handle) so you can actually feel in your eye when there is any dirt and remove immediately. If this is the case I will soak in the solution until clean and generally this works well. It is also a good idea to buy an additional bit of solution just in case as the lenses only come in a little bit of solution.

*Taking them out*

Again a mirror and good light is useful although after using these I can safely say I can take them out without a mirror or light (but I wouldn't recommend this). Of course washing and drying hands in removing is an important part of lens care.

I have sometimes forgotten to chuck the lenses in the bin and noticed that overnight they shrivel and harden outside of solution so definitely cannot be used again! My optician has recommended that I try and stick to wearing for no more than 8 hours - although I do tend to wear these for 10 hours a day with no issues I would obviously advise you follow your opticians instructions. I have worn for up to 14-16 hours some days and this is when my eyes do get uncomfortable and can get very itchy.

All in all there aren't many toric lenses on the market and I am comfortable using these so won't be thinking of changing anytime soon. I would recommend to anyone who requires these lenses and advise that whilst it may take a few days to get used to these you will start to see (ahem) results soon.

Although the vision with these lenses isn't as good as when I wear glasses (images aren't quite as sharp), the difference is so small it's barely worth mentioning and this is something my optician advised I needed to expect. Being able to be glasses free is definitely worthwhile I feel as I can play sports with confidence, go out with the girls on a night out and change my look as and when I want.

I am removing a star for the problems with breakages I have found, but aside from this would highly recommend this brand of contact lens.

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A great option for those with pesky astigmatisms!

I decided to finally take the plunge and delve into the seemingly scary world of contact lenses back in October 2011.

After an eyetest at Specsavers and spending an eye watering amount on new frames, I was persuaded to take out a contact lense trial the following week. With astigmatisms I was told that I would need special lenses.

At the 30 min appointment my eye test was tested again briefly, before lenses were put into my eyes. I was invited to walk around town for 15 minutes to try them out. After this and when the optician was satisfied that they were at the right strength, I was then given as much time as I needed to learn how to put the lenses in and out of my eyes.

Slight disaster that afternoon when my lense tore as it came out of my eye - leaving a portion behind. This however, I stress, is a freak one off and hasn't happened since!

I was given 5 lenses for each eye to try for the week before returning the following week to make my decision over whether I wanted to continue with lenses.

I then decided to go for the 20 lense a month package, which costs £26.50 on direct debit. The lenses are more expensive because they are made for people with astigmatism. I was also told that if I didnt want to be on the scheme, I could always buy boxes as and when I needed them. The scheme means I get all my follow up appointments free and if I have any problems I can just go back into store.

Since then I've been flying with the contact lenses.

The look of the lense.

My lenses are slightly tinted so you can see them when you have them balanced on the end of your finger. My trial set didnt have anything written on them, but my subscription lenses have OK written on the front of them in tiny writing so you know that they are the right way round when you put them in.

After a couple of issues with the lenses, I now feel overjoyed that I took the chance to try them. Having lenses gives me an option other than frames. My lenses are soft, comfortable, and I can take them out without even having to look anymore. A revelation!

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A comfortable daily lense that improves your eyesight

Why I use themI used to have perfect eyesight but then it deteriorated very quickly. At first it was just the sharpness of objects that went but eventually the details of things became blurry such as the features of someone's face and colours started to appear paler. I went to the Opticians to get glasses but hated how I looked in them so went around squinting all the time and only wearing them when driving and in the cinema where it was dark. Then my eyesight got even worse so I thought that buying a £300 pair of designer glasses may force me to wear them, but it didn't.

Now wearing contact lenses was the obvious answer but I had a real problem with anything going near my eye. I am squeamish to the max when even talking about eyes and I am typing this through gritted teeth still. At this point, I was waving at people thinking I knew them, ignoring people thinking I didn't, getting lost because I couldn't see street names and missing out on beautiful scenery. I even ran up to a man in a pub and hugged him because I thought he was actually my twin brother. I had a hard time talking my way out of that one! I went to the Opticians again for a consultation and eight hours later, after six different members of staff had tried, eventually the manager got one contact in my eye.

These were fortnightly ones and I just didn't get on with them. They were as big as saucers, completely uncomfortable and a nightmare to put in and keep in. They would tear after one use and hurt like mad so after collecting enough of them to start my own shop, I cancelled my direct debit and went back to missing out on the world.

It really started to get to me in the end, especially as I knew how easily some people get on with contacts, so I went to a different Opticians and told them everything. They suggested that I should try Ciba Vision Focus Dailies and so I did and, at the risk of sounding dramatic, they have honestly changed my life.

What do they do?Ciba Vision Focus Dailies are designed to be thrown away after one use so the material used to make them doesn't need to be as durable as the fortnightly and monthly ones and so feel much more comfortable in the eye. As they are to be worn daily, you can insert a fresh, clean new lense each day and have your vision correctly instantly without the need for wearing glasses.

They are best suited for those who suffer with allergies or sensitive eyes because you put new ones in each day, without having the worries of cleaning the lense properly and getting an infection or irritating the eye from pollen or pollutants. They are completely safe to use and they will not change your eye colour at all.

How do they work?Contact lenses work by refracting the light in a certain way that allows the wearer to see properly. These particular lenses are made out of Silicone Hydrogel which is a material that maintains the health of the eye and allows it to breath. Pressure holds the lense in the correct place on the eye so it shouldn't move around once it has been inserted.

These particular lenses are called toric lenses because they are for eyes they have an astigmatism. This means that your eye ball is rugby shaped instead of football shaped so the shape of these lenses are a combination of being spherical and cylindrical to fit the eye correctly.

When I wore the other lenses, the dryer my eye would get, the more they would pick. Drops are available for contact lenses but I would have had to use them constantly. These lenses are made out of a material which retains the moisture in the lenses making them completely comfortable to wear. They actually have a blink activated moisture response which means that each time you blink, the moisture levels are replenished.

The lenses have been created using Lightstream Technology which means that every lense will be high quality and work to its potential and they have a non ionic surface to improve the comfort. Each lense is 69% water to ensure that it is gentle in the eye.

How do you use them?I am not going to pretend that these little things will not cause you any frustrations. The first few weeks of owning them was a complete nightmare. Once I eventually got them in, my eyes would be red raw and I would panic all day about taking them out again and it was like something out of horror film.

One day, my best friend who has worn them for years sat down with me and after a bottle of wine forced me to continually put them in and take them out again to the point where it wasn't an issue anymore. It certainly tested out friendship but I'm glad she did it.

The first thing you need to do is check whether the lense is the correct way because if you put it in backwards, it will be uncomfortable. These lenses make this task simple because they actually have OK written on them in blue writing. If the writing is the right way, then the lense is the right way. You can't see the writing once it's in your eye but if you drag the lense across to the white part, you can see the word OK on your eye ball. Aaargh, freaky!

You should always wash you hands before starting. To insert the lense, I sit at the table and look down into a mirror. I use my free hand to pull my upper eyelid up. I put the lense on my index finger of my other hand because it's the strongest and use my one middle finger of the same hand, to pull the bottom eyelid down and plop it in. Obviously it's not as easy as that and it rarely goes in first time for me, but it certainly gets better with practise. My friend doesn't even use a mirror anymore.

To get them out again is tricky at first and there are many different ways in which you can do so. I drag the lense onto the white part and pinch the lense out gently. With practise, you'll find your own way of doing it and a way which suits you best.

Packaging and Price The lenses come in boxes of 30 or 90 lenses. As each eye often has a different prescription, you'll probably end up with two boxes. Inside there are strips of individual lenses that are each contained within their own little plastic holder. The lenses is inside floating in a saline solution which keeps it moist and clean until it is needed and you peel back the strip to access the contact lense. The lense itself is clear and extremely flexible.

The price will vary greatly. I get mine from Specsavers for about £30 for the 60 lenses, that's 30 pairs. I know they are available from many online websites for much cheaper and you simply have to input your prescription to get them delivered to your door. I haven't done this yet but as they can be around half the price that I'm paying now, I will look into doing it soon.

My experience Like I said these little things have completely changed my life. The worst bit is taking them in and out but it gets easier each time. My vision is perfect again and it is wonderful to see details and peoples features again. It's made my day to day life so much easier.

You really need to make sure your hands are clean before inserting them. I apply them at the table because sometimes I drop the lense when using it and as it's transparent then it is easily lost. You also need to rinse it in the solution each time you drop it as it can pick up bits of dusts and materials while really feels uncomfortable in your eye.

These lenses feel comfortable as soon as they are in my eye. If they still feel a bit picky after a few minutes, it's usually because something has got trapped underneath so I take them out, rinse them in solution and try again.

They never move around in my eye until I physically move them and there's been no worries about losing it. I have never had one ripe or tear and they are really strong despite being thin. Once, when I'd finished with a lense, I rolled it around quite roughly in my fingers and it still remained intact.

They are so comfortable in my eye that for long periods of time, I forget that they are there. Towards the evening, they start to get a bit picky and I use some drops to solve the problem. Despite them being comfortable, I am occasionally aware that they are there and it is a real treat once they are out at night time.

You can't see them in my eyes unlike those horrible saucer sized ones that I had before. They actually make your eyes more beautiful because they make them look bigger and enhance the eye colour somehow. I've had a lot more compliments since wearing them and people have commented on my eye colour a lot.

I think they have made me look much more approachable too. Because I couldn't see properly before, I used to keep my head down and avoid eye contact (partly because I couldn't see people's eyes!) and as I was squinting a lot, I probably looked quite shifty. A lot more people come and talk to me now than before, whether it's to ask for directions or just to chat.

I've only ever experienced one problem with these lenses. I was on a train for two hours and read constantly for the whole time wearing these lenses. When I took them out, my eyes really hurt and it continued to hurt even with my eyes closed. I assume that the rubbing action as my eyes moved left to right as I read had hurt the inside of my eyelids in the same way as shoes can rub your feet if you walk too far. I couldn't wear the lenses for a few days after that but this has only happened once.

All in all, if you want to try lenses, I'd say these are a great place to start. There couldn't be anyone more squeamish than me and I'd never thought I'd be able to wear contacts but it was either or miss out on life. They are strong, comfortable and easy to use after practise. They are gentle and perfect for sensitive eyes and there's no fuss with storing or cleaning the lenses as they go in the bin at the end of the day. These lenses are a fantastic, hassle free way to gaining better eyesight.

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A good lens which is relatively easy to use even for novices like myself!

I have worn glasses since the age of ten, and have for a number of years toyed with the idea of trying contact lenses, but always been put off because, firstly, I thought they would be horribly uncomfortable, and secondly I assumed they would be rather expensive.

When I recently went to Specsavers for a routine eyetest, and saw that they were offering a free contact lens trial, I decided to take the plunge, be brave and give them a go!

I explained to my optician that I intended to wear contact lenses on the odd occasion, rather than everyday, and she advised that in this situation, daily disposable lenses would be better for me for a number of reasons; firstly, they would work out cheaper than monthly disposables, because not only would I not require cleaning solutions, but as they are individually packaged and sealed in a sterile "bubble", they actually have a much longer shelf life than monthly disposable lenses which must be thrown away after 30 days regardless of how many times a person has worn them. My pack of lenses expire in October 2014 (I purchased them about 6 weeks ago) unless each individual lens "bubble" is opened, so as an occasional wearer this huge difference in shelf life would mean they lasted me a lot longer and were therefore much more economical an option.

The lenses come in cardboard boxes containing 30 individually packaged lenses. I had to buy 2 boxes as the prescription for each of my eyes is different. This is more common than not, so most people wishing to use these lenses will need to bear in mind that they will probably need to purchase a box for each eye, rather than one box between both eyes, hence the "monthly disposable" name as obviously if your prescription were the same in both eyes, and you used one box between both, 30 lenses would only last just over 2 weeks. The box is designed to allow it to be easily re-closed once opened, to ensure the lenses stay in there if you carry them away in a bag for a holiday or something like that.

The individual packaging on the lenses is very good; a stiff and sturdy clear plastic half circle on the back, containing the lens and sterile "isotonic phosphate-acetate buffered saline", with a foil lid stating the brand name of the lens as well as its prescription, batch code and expiry date. I would have no qualms about carrying a spare set of lenses in my bag in nothing but the packaging they are provided in, as it is very durable and doesn't easily become bent or mis-shapen in any way. The only minor problem with this is that I would have to remember which prescription was for which eye (although I don't suppose that would be toooo difficult as it is only 2 bits of information!), or write an 'L' and 'R' on them with a Sharpie pen or something like that in order to determine which lens was for which eye.

The foil lid is easy to remove and has never yet come off in more than one piece! The only small moan I have about the packaging really is that the pictorial instructions on the inner flap about how to remove the lens from its packaging are accompnied by what I think is Chinese writing, although having said that, the pictures themselves are very clear and I don't honestly think anyone would have a problem following just those alone to remove their lens from its "bubble"!

The only thing the instructions don't say which my optician did was to shake any excess solution from the lens before inserting it into the eye. Some reviewers have suggested that you could actually use the saline to rinse the lens if you drop it whilst trying to insert it into the eye, but the instructions stste to tip the lens onto your hand rather than fish it out with your finger to avoid damaging the lens, so in all honesty unless you ignore this I don't see how it is possible to slide the lens out without the solution all coming out too...perhaps they are just a lot more dextrous than I am!

The lenses themselves are all stamped with "OK" in a pale blue colour, to enable you to ensure that they are placed in the eye the right way round and not inside out! The "OK" should say exactly that, not "KO" (meaning the lens is inside out), and be at the bottom of the lens..pretty straightforward really but again something my optician explained to me, rather than something I have found on the packaging. The "OK" is totally invisible once in the eye. It might sound daft to suggest that a lens could be placed into your eye inside out, but these lenses really are incredibly flexible, and have turned themselves inside out on my finger a few times when, as a novice, I have been trying to insert them! I experimented a little bit with the lenses one day after I had removed them (so they were going to be thrown away anyway), and found that you can actually "roll up" the lens if you want to with no discernible damage. I would be surprised to hear of any lenses which were more pliant.

The lenses are reasonably easy to insert, and feel comfortable in the eye to me, although these are the only lenses I have tried so far so I don't really have a lot to compare them to, the only minor discomfort I feel is the outer "ridge" of the lens which I do notice for a while after I first insert them, and if I look to the outer side of my eye when wearing them. My optician told me, however, that if I were a frequent lens wearer this sensation would disappear over time as my eyes became more used to wearing lenses. The feeling isn't painful in the slightest, nor is it anywhere near as irritating as having a bit of grit or something like that in the eye, and in all honesty does not put me off wearing the lenses.

I have not found that my eyes become dry whilst wearing the lenses, and have worn them for up to around 12 hours at a stretch without much discomfort, even though I am only an occasional wearer.

Some reviewers have said that they felt their vision was better with the lenses than their glasses; I haven't found this to be the case but have found my vision about the same as when I wear my glasses. It was fantastic for me on a recent trip to the local baths with my family to be able to wear my lenses, avoid the "my glasses have been splashed so much I can't see out of them" dilemma I usually have, and be able to spot my kids from a distance without relying on identifying them by the colour of their swimsuits!

The only minor problem I have at the moment with these lenses is removing them; they sort of "suction" onto the eyeball once placed in the eye, which is fantastic for ensuring they don't fall out, but means they can be a little bit tricky to remove! My optician advised that I look down, try to get a fingertip on the lens, then look up again hopefully keeping the lens at the bottom of my eye to remove it. I still find this takes me about 4 tries to accomplish, but having said that have only worn the lenses a few times so I assume it is something which becomes easier with practice!

I would definitely recommend these lenses to a new wearer such as myself, as I have found them to be a lot more comfortable than I expected, resilient, relatively easy to insert and do their vision correcting job! I would advise that you shop around for them though, as prices online seem to be cheaper than in opticians' and can vary a fair bit.

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didn't provide comfortI was looking for

I have worn Proclear contacts for over five years now. I decided to change to a daily brand because I am looking for a contact that will be comfortable every day (as my other ones were uncomfortable and dry before the end of the month was over.) However, I found these trial lenses to be extremely dry, starting the moment after I put them in at the doctor's office. After I rinsed them with solution, I achieved temporary relief. However to achieve maximum comfort with these contacts I feel that I would need to constantly put drops in my eyes, and with Proclear I hardly even had to put drops in. I receive crisp and clear vision with these contacts so I feel that it is a shame that they are so uncomfortable and dry. When I wear these I also feel a slight amount of pressure on my eyes. I understand that these contacts work well for others, but I wanted to put forth what has been my experience, as I have not even been able to wear these contacts for a whole day without experiencing severe dryness and discomfort.

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Great lenses

For years I've put off going for contact lenses. I've always had a thing about putting my finger in my eye and would cringe at the thought. I also have allergies and so for a long time I simply thought I wouldn't be able to wear lenses. However when I went in for my eyecheck the optician asked casually if I would like to try out wearing contact lenses. He said that there'd been significant developments in technology in recent years so that even those prone to allergies could wear them comfortably. Call me a bit vain but I've never liked wearing glasses when out and about with friends or attending functions like weddings, and as I had a few coming up I decided to take the plunge.

I didn't know too much about lenses so asked some questions such as which type of lenses I should go for. My optician recommended 'focus dailies' daily disposable ones as I didn't want to wear lenses everyday. These are made by a company called CibaVision. These are very convenient - just wear them once and throw them away. He also said this was much safer than using monthlies or permanent lenses, as they didn't require fiddly cleaning or storage. They also avoid the build-up of harmful deposits which can lead to eye infections. Disposable lenses can be worn for around 7 hours, before they should be changed.

The first set given to me weren't great. I have mild astigmatism, which is quite common and is due to an irregular curvature of the cornea or lens. This results in the inability of the eye to produce a sharp, focused image on the retina. The lenses given to me gave me around 90% of the clarity of my glasses, but things were still slightly blurry, due to the fact that the astigmatism wasn't corrected. I was told that this was the best type of lens that was on offer at the time.

I still bought a box of 30 but due to the fact that they weren't as good as my glasses I didn't wear them often. A box of 30 lasted me two years! At my last checkup my optician said that he had some good news. There was a new type of lens on the market which corrected astigmatism and they would be suitable for me and was I interested? I jumped at the chance!

These are manufactured by the same company and are called 'Toric' lenses. They are exactly the same as normal lenses except that they feel a little thicker. This is a bonus for me as I find them easier to put in and take out than the normal ones! The clarity I get with these lenses is fantastic and pretty much match my glasses. I had a box of 5 which I used in around three weeks compared to 2 years for 30!

The lenses come in 2 boxes of 30 (30 pairs), with a different prescription for each eye. Opening the box reveals strips of lenses, each of which are in their own individual oval-shaped pod. Each pod is made of clear plastic and you can see the lens floating in some saline solution.

Before using, make sure you wash your hands and dry them too. Using hand sanitiser does not count! It also helps if you're standing in front of a mirror. To use, just break one of the pods off the strip, and pull away the film lid. Dip your index finger into the pod and gently pick out the lens. The lens is made of thin plastic and is quite flexible. Before attempting to put these in look at the lens - if the rim points out instead of up then the lens is probably inside out. Also check to make sure it's not ripped, damaged or dirty.

--Putting them in--Looking straight at the mirror, use your other hand to open your eye slightly and stare straight ahead. Bring the lens towards your eye and once it touches it, hold it there for a second. It does feel a little cold and usually makes me wince! I find it helps if I move my eye round (i,e look left and right, up and down), as this helps the contact slip onto the eye easily. Blink slightly to make sure it's in and then repeat with the other eye.

If at this stage the contact is in the wrong way around then it will generally pop out. It can be re-inserted but make sure you rinse the lens with the saline solution first! Other warning signs that all is not well is that you may feel a prickling sensation, like you've got grit in your eye. Again, remove the lens, wash with saline and try again! It takes a while to get the hang of putting these in and 2 years after first wearing them I still struggle from time to time! For the ladies, it's also best to put make up on after putting your lens in. This is to avoid contaminating the lens.

Once there in they are very comfortable, although you can still feel them in there. Towards the end of the 7 hour time period they do start to feel a little uncomfortable, and my eyes feel quite tired - like I do when I've not had enough sleep. There are times when it's not practical to take the lens out at exactly the right time. If I leave them in too long they do make my eyes quite dry and then can be difficult to take out. In this situation I find putting some eye drops in loosens them a bit and makes them easier to remove.

--Taking them out--Remove make up if you have worn some before taking out the lens. The act of rubbing to remove eye make-up can lead to the lens tearing. To take them out, once again a mirror is handy. Stare straight at the mirror and with the flat part of your index finger feel the lens in your eye. Resist the urge to use your nails!! With a little gentle pressure, and in one sweeping motion, slide the lens to the outer corner of your eye. The lens should then pop out. If it doesn't, don't panic! Wait a few minutes and then try again. Remember, a contact lens cannot get lost in your eye! When the lenses are (eventually) taken out dispose of them in the dustbin.

Overall, I think disposable contact lenses are great. Wearing glasses can get in the way when playing sports and it's always nice to ditch the glasses when socialising with friends or attending functions. If you have astigmatism, ask your optician about Toric lenses.

Contact lenses can be tricky to put in and out, but as with anything, practice helps. They are quite expensive though - 30 pairs cost around £36.00. This is slightly more expensive than the standard, non-toric lenses as would be expected. For me this is ok, as a box lasts me around 4 months, but more regular users may want to ask their optician for advice, as more permanent lenses may work out better. A cheaper deal can probably also be found by shopping around.

Wearing contact lenses for me has worked out well. Don't be scared to take the plunge - it's really not as scary as it seems!

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Good lenses

I've been wearing contact lenses for nearly twenty years, a few years ago my optician recommended toric lenses and due to the expense (toric ones are much more expensive than non-toric) he tried me on the monthly ones, but after about 15 days my eyes were getting irritated and so I was advised I needed daily ones. These are fab as I don't have to mess about with solutions and cleaning them. I just put them in in the morning and forget about them until its bed time. In fact there that comfy one drunken evening I fell asleep in them and woke up next morning thinking my eyesight had ben cured! Sadly not! The only downside to them is they make my eyes quite sensitive and if I come into contact with swimming pool water -just a splash- I have to replace them straight away or I will certailnly get an eye infection. But they are so comfy and give me such clear vision I wouldn't want to be without them.

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The ultimate lazy persons contact lens!

I've been on monthly disposable toric lenses from Specsavers for years, but have always been quite a bad contact lens offender and usually forget to take them out after a night out. Everytime I go to the opticians I get told off, so when I went for my last appointment I asked to be switched to dailies to see if that would make any difference to my bad habits.

Dailies for me were slightly more expensive (I got a months supply of 30 for £30ish), but as I only wear them a couple times a week anyway it doesn't work out too much of a jump from the £45 I'd pay for a 3 month supply of monthlies. Also I reasoned that if paying slightly more in the short run would be more beneficial to my eyes, it would be worth it in the long run.

The extra cost put me off a bit initially but as soon as I got the dailies home and put a pair in my eyes, I was convinced- they are amazing! A million times better than my monthly disposables. They are so comfortable that I can't even put it into words. They best way I could equate it is that with my monthlies I'd have to leave myself 10 minutes to put them in- to clean them twice, put them in and make sure they were comfortable, and sometimes take them out, clean them and have to put them back in again until I was happy. With the dailies it's 30 seconds and they're both in and feel great.

The best bit is I don't even have to get out of bed to take them out. I just keep a little mirror by my bed and pop them in the bin- no more trekking to the bathroom in the middle of the night, cleaning your lens and case and all that faffing. And you save a load on contact lens solution (although I would keep a little back up bottle just in case your eyes are feeling a little dry etc).

The only problem with the dailies is that if you drop them it can be hard clean them and put them back in your eye so they feel comfortable. You'd be better off opening another packet as you will feel the difference between the lenses in both eyes otherwise. Aside from that a perfect product- I'm never going back to monthlies!

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Definitely worth trying if you don't like wearing glasses!

I was always a bit scared of using contact lenses, and only really used my glasses for driving, but after a few years working in front of a computer my vision deteriorated and I needed to wear glasses more often.

I was introduced to Ciba Toria Lenses via Specsavers Opticians, which is also where I purchase them on a 3 monthly payment plan (the lenses are sent directly to my home).

I actually use these lenses in combination with the Daily Disposable Ciba Lense as I only have an astigmatism in my left eye.

These contacts are very easy to use and comfortable to wear. They correct my vision very well, not quite as perfectly as when I wear glasses, but it's great not having to wear glasses!

I now wear contact lenses every day and have had no problems with using Ciba lenses. They are well-supplied in small, sterile packs and the one-day usage means there are no worries about cleaning or solutions.

They can sometimes dry out, if for example you are driving with all the car heaters going, but this is easily dealt with by using contact compatible eye drops.

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Worth a try if you have astigmatism,you may never look back.

I have a very high prescription and a severe astigmatism which has prevented me from using daily lenses in the past. When my optician mentioned the Focus Dailies Toric she suggested the vision would not be as good as with the monthly toric lenses i already had. However since I don't wear lenses everyday I was keen to try the dailies as it would be cheaper for me in the long run. They were immediately extremely comfortable and I was very pleased with the vision. When my optician checked my sight she was suprised by how accurate my vision was and agreed that they were a good fit. Due to the fact that my prescription is so strong the lenses are quite thick and so very easy to handle and are not prone to inverting themselves when taking them out of the blisters. They are expensive but if only using for special occasions etc they work out cheaper than permanently throwing monthly ones away. Also being dailies there are no solutions to buy or cases to clean.

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worth it

I've worn contact lenses, both hard and soft, for years and know how uncomfortable they can be. But these are the most comfortable lenses I have ever worn: I wear them all day (probably far too long for my eyes) because they are so comfy that I forget to take them out. The only down side is that I have had a batch that kept splitting: sometimes whilst in my eye, which was desperately painful. However, on returning these to my optician, I undertand this is VERY unusual, and I have not had this happen since (apart from when I have been too rough, but that's my own fault. Being daily disposables, they are relatively expensive, but I think they are definitely worth the money: you only get one pair of eyes, so look after them! You have the advantage that they are hygenic, effecive for astigmatism, and comfy to wear.

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good.

After wearing glasses for 15 years, I chose to switch to contact lenses and was given a free course of Focus Dailies. Initially, I thought that they were difficult for me to get out of the packet (compared to the storage of monthly contact lenses) but I could just put them in and forget all about them. I prefer these daily contact lenses over monthlies as if you lose one, you can just get out another one and put it straight in, you don't have to wait a month. However, if I was wearing them for a long time and they dried out, I couldn't take them out and put more solution on them and put them back in like I could have done with monthlies, which meant I had to wear my glasses (as it was not worth another pair just for one day) when I didn't particularly want to. Also, I trust this brand more so than other's as this isn't the lowest price or quality, it's a reasonable price for good quality.Overall though, I think that the quality of Focus Dailies is good and the pricing is generally very fair.

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Great lenses for convenient, daily use

These lenses have changed my life! For the better! Prior to using dailies I used permanent lenses that needed daily cleaning and were very rigid, if you dropped one you had to pay a fortune to get it replaced. These lenses are so comfortable, I have even gone to bed and forgot to take them out (not recommended)! They are flexible and easy to put in and the fact that they come in their own sterile pack gives me complete reassurance about what I'm putting in my eye is safe. There is no faf with daily cleaning solutions and if I drop one or it splits I can just get another one out of the packet and start again. I wear mine 6 days out of 7 and give my eyes a rest one day a week. I've been wearing lenses for 17 years and these are best I have ever tried and will not be swapping back.

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Recommend to people considering contact lenses

I have been wearing the Focus dalily lenses for approximately 6 years now. I, like others decided that I wanted to change my appearance and felt that contact lenses would be the next step. Having tried the monthly lenses which I did not suit (I would split these after a couple of days), my optician suggested the daily lenses and I haven't looked back.

I intially began to purchase the contact lenses from my optician, however, have now been purchasing these for the last two three years online as they come in alot cheaper. You can find websites such as Asda or contactlenses.co.uk which allow you to order the lenses and they are sent out to you as quickly as you require these (if you are prepared to pay an additional fee for special delivery).

Also, from my experience my eyes rarely dry out when wearing these lenses so all in all a great experience for the user.